Bennigans closing!
 

What do you think this woman is saying?

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/a...0x3_32277a.jpg

4 votes, no comments.... :-?

Blah!!!!

I will have to find a new place to go on St Patrick's Day :evil:

Not all stores are closing.

Franchised stores will remain open.

I really need something to eat myself now.

Not much more to say Dave. The poor dear will just have to run over to TGI Fridays.

Ken
"Sky"

Bennigan's is closing??? :shock:

DH and I stopped in Bennigans for a drink, just yesterday! :(

What's Bennigans?

Dave those choices were GREAT, you are HILARIOUS!!!!!!! The gift card was my favorite :D

BAY AREA (Bay News 9) -- The Bennigan's restaurant chain is shutting down most of its stores.

The Texas-based Metromedia Restaurants Group that operates Bennigan's is closing the chain.

Customers showing up for lunch at Bennigan's restaurants in Tampa and across the country Tuesday morning found all the corporate-owned locations had signs on display reading "closed for business."

Bennigan's Grill and Tavern closed all of its corporate-owned locations nationwide after filing for bankruptcy. That includes all but two in the Bay area.


Independent franchises remain open for business as usual.

More Information

Channelside Bennigan's still open
The chain has 10 locations in the Bay area, including four each in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and one in Lakeland and one in Sarasota.

A person who answered the phone at the Tampa Bennigan's on Dale Mabry Highway, and did not want to be identified, said Tuesday afternoon that the restaurant was closed.

The closings will put about 400 people out of work in the Bay area.

Dave,

The one in Johnson City, Tennessee (about thirty miles up the road from our small town) closed several years ago (and nothing has yet to occupy the building full time). Guess all the way back then, the handwriting was on the wall.

Todd

Used to go there alot when younger in Orlando on International drive. Now I prefer the beach bars anyway so no loss to me.

My husband, Rob, and I are big Bennigans fans. We will truly miss this great restaurant that has offered good meals at great prices. So many restaurants want "a piece of the pie" that it is getter harder, all the time to compete in this troubled economy!

We didn't have any Bennigans in our area, but one of our local Hardees closed pretty much the same way, employees came in and after the lunch crowd the manager called a meeting and told the employees that they were closed as of right then.

THe one i n Jackson miss closed a couple years ago . . .

I guess there is always TGIF and Chili's :-? :D

and if you are desperate Ruby Tuesdays! :wink:

Yea I forgot about Ruby Tuesday although there are none in my area.

Or a step up to Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill :D :D :D

I don't like any of those chain restaurants. I like places where you can go in your swimsuit and sit outdoors and don't have to wear shoes or a shirt. 8)

Like this.... my local hangout.

http://www.beachcomberflorida.com/im...mmy-Jungle.jpg

http://www.beachcomberflorida.com/im..._umbrellas.jpg

Not sure if we ever had one around Boston, but I know the name..Red Lobster pulled out of the New England Area, I think there is one left in Conneticut. The Chilli's near us closed too:(

They advertise Sonic here, but we have none, Steimarts as well, go figure..One place I wish we did have that I loved in Florida was Bahama Breeze!!!

We have one here too but not on the beach. This is the Swigwam where anything goes...


http://www.theswigwam.com/gallery/ma...serialNumber=4

http://www.theswigwam.com/gallery/ma...serialNumber=2

http://www.theswigwam.com/gallery/ma...serialNumber=2

Ok, that is it!! I am leaving this office and going to the beach!! Right now!!

Dave,

You'll be sad to hear that our local Hooters closed last week........

:cry: :cry: :evil: :evil:

The one in the next town over from us, closed during the lunch hour yesterday. Told people to hurry and eat. :shock:

Kat, Bennigan's was an Irish flavored Chili's or Friday's.

Does anyone ever remember the local economies being this bad?

I'm sorry they closed we didn't have any down here. I like Friday's I hope they don't close.

I know that Bennigan's is (was) supposed to be Irish themed, but in my few visits over the years I never saw much difference between them and TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesday, Applebees, or other chains of that ilk. Mind you, my visits to any and all of them have been only occasional. Plus we never go to any of the fast food places, except for coffee on the road or to use the bathrooms. Absolutely hate fast food.

I know that many of you despise the New York Times for its liberal editorial position, but its article on this subject is excellent, with lots of good perspectives.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/30/bu...a32&ei=5087%0A

Bottom line, it points out that the "casual dining sector"--the restaurants one step above fast food like Bennigans--are really on the skids overall and that more are likely to close. Steak and Ale is also dowm the drain--same owners as Bennigan's. More to follow.

Other retail sectors are also getting killed. Mervyn's deparment stores on the west coast filed for chapter 11, as did Steve & Barry's. "Mall brands," such as Sharper Image and Linens'n'Things and Ann Taylor are also getting pummeled.

Added problem: banks are now much less willing to lend to restaurants and franchises as a whole.

Very tough times, and while the business cycle is the business cycle, we can certainly place a lot of this at the feet of irresponsible deregulation.